Before engaging in a detailed analysis of SDPD patrol activity as outlined in the research plan, we created this descriptive analysis to explore overall trends in the SDPD RIPA data. This helps us determine if our expected findings are likely to show up in the data and allows us to identify any trends we did not expect. We include basis tallies on each of the following:

For each, we analyze SDPD stops overall and, where applicable, by assignment (gang enforcement) and SDPD division. Other than one analysis about stops over time, we focus on stops made in 2022. The numbers included in this analysis are preliminary and subject to change based on further analysis and review. Particularly, the reported time spent on stops will change as we complete outlier analysis to account for errors in the data.

Total Number of Stops and People Stopped

In 2022, there were 86,632 unique police stops. Of those stops, 79, 416 were officer-initiated stops. Gang enforcement made 420 unique stops in 2022. Of those stops, 397 were officer-initiated stops.

In 2022, 96,119 people were stopped by SDPD, 88,099 of which were stopped for an officer-initiated stop. Gang enforcement stopped 508 people in 2022; 484 people were stopped for an officer-initiated stop.

Number of Officer-Initiated Stops

The following takes a closer look at officer-initiated stops, including trends over time, by police assignment, and by division.

Over Time

The number of officer-initiated stops across all units peaked in 2019, decreasing between 2020-2022. The COVID-19 pandemic directly impacted police activity, making it unsurprising that there were less stops conducted overall.

SDPD stops under gang enforcement have decreased overtime, with a steep drop-off between 2021-2022. Notably, more officer-initiated stops under gang enforcement were made in 2020 than in 2021 and 2022 combined. The low number of gang enforcement stops could be explained by how agencies are required to record this data under RIPA regulations. Agencies are required to report the assignment of the officer at the time of the stop, not their unit. Gang suppression unit stops are likely under-counted and being made under a different assignment.

Total Count of Officer-Initiated Stops Over Time

Year

All Units Total

Gang Enforcement Total

2018

69,766

1,501

2019

142,663

3,263

2020

116,754

1,592

2021

104,561

643

2022

79,416

397

2023

21,578

95

By Police Assignment

Patrol, traffic enforcement, and field operations conduct the majority of officer-initiated stops, followed by the ‘Other’ unit category. While gang enforcement has the third highest rate of officer-initiated stops the overall count is low. This is most likely due to gang enforcement stops being conducted under a different unit assignment.

Total and Rate of Stops by Patrol Assignment Type in 2022

Year

Patrol Assignment

Total

Count

Percent

2022

Patrol, traffic enforcement, field operations

79,416

77,386

97.4

2022

Other

79,416

1,121

1.4

2022

Gang enforcement

79,416

397

0.5

2022

Investigative/detective

79,416

304

0.4

2022

Narcotics/vice

79,416

108

0.1

2022

Special events

79,416

45

0.1

2022

K1-12 public school inlcuding school resource officer or school police officer

79,416

43

0.1

2022

Task force

79,416

10

0.0

2022

Compliance check

79,416

2

0.0

By SDPD Division

High rates of officer-initiated stops are consistent across all police divisions. The highest number of officer-initiated stops occurs in the Central division while the highest percent of stops in the Northwestern division are made for officer-initiated reasons. These numbers do not control for the total population in each division.

Time Spent on Calls for Service versus Officer-initiated

The majority of officer time is spent on officer-initiated stops rather than calls for service with officers spending over 80% of their minutes on officer-initiated stops. This is true across all units, as well as for gang enforcement. Gang enforcement spends more time per stop on average especially for calls for service-an average time of 123.9 minutes compared to 59.3 minutes across all units. The median time gang enforcement spends on officer-initiated stops is slightly higher than the median time all units spend, 15 minutes versus 10 minutes respectively.

All Units

Stop Time by Response to Service Call for All Units

Year

Assignment

Call for Service

Count Mins

Percent Mins

Average Stop Time (Mins)

Median Stop Time (Mins)

Min Stop Time (Mins)

Max Stop Time (Mins)

Total Time (Mins)

2022

All units

No

2,173,760

83.5

27.4

10.0

1

1,440

2,601,943

2022

All units

Yes

428,183

16.5

59.3

30.0

1

1,220

2,601,943

Gang Enforcement

Stop Counts and Rates by Response to Service Call for Gang Enforcement

Year

Assignment

Call for Service

Count Mins

Percent Mins

Average Stop Time (Mins)

Median Stop Time (Mins)

Min Stop Time (Mins)

Max Stop Time (Mins)

Total Time (Mins)

2022

Gang enforcement

No

11,613

80.3

29.3

15

1

300

14,463

2022

Gang enforcement

Yes

2,850

19.7

123.9

120

20

260

14,463

By SDPD Division

More than 75% of officer patrol time is spent on officer-initiated stops across all SDPD divisions with a median time of 10-15 minutes spent per stop. Officers who made stops in the Central and Northwestern divisions spent over 85% of their time on officer-initiated stops. For stops with unknown divisions, 96.4% of minutes spent on these stops are for officer-initiated stops. There is more variation in the median time spent on stops made for calls for service. Across divisions, a median time between 20 and 60 minutes is spent on stops made for calls for service.

Stop Counts and Rates by Response to Service Call by Division

Year

Division Name

Call for Service

Percent Mins

Average Stop Time (Mins)

Median Stop Time (Mins)

Min Stop Time (Mins)

Max Stop Time (Mins)

Total Time (Mins)

Count Mins

2022

CENTRAL

No

90.3

28.7

15.0

1

1,440

516,736

466,435

2022

CENTRAL

Yes

9.7

41.5

20.0

1

420

516,736

50,301

2022

EASTERN

No

78.2

25.6

10.0

1

1,200

251,717

196,958

2022

EASTERN

Yes

21.8

61.4

30.0

1

540

251,717

54,759

2022

MID-CITY

No

79.5

28.4

15.0

1

1,300

314,395

249,843

2022

MID-CITY

Yes

20.5

52.3

30.0

2

480

314,395

64,552

2022

NORTHEASTERN

No

80.2

29.9

14.0

1

1,440

154,211

123,704

2022

NORTHEASTERN

Yes

19.8

75.9

45.0

2

600

154,211

30,507

2022

NORTHERN

No

81.6

24.7

10.0

1

1,330

386,829

315,534

2022

NORTHERN

Yes

18.4

67.1

30.0

1

1,220

386,829

71,295

2022

NORTHWESTERN

No

86.6

20.9

10.0

1

1,120

78,568

68,027

2022

NORTHWESTERN

Yes

13.4

69.8

60.0

5

300

78,568

10,541

2022

SOUTHEASTERN

No

81.2

28.6

10.0

1

1,400

251,024

203,877

2022

SOUTHEASTERN

Yes

18.8

75.0

60.0

1

480

251,024

47,147

2022

SOUTHERN

No

84.8

28.1

10.0

1

1,000

219,756

186,385

2022

SOUTHERN

Yes

15.2

65.6

45.0

1

360

219,756

33,371

2022

UNKNOWN DIVISION

No

96.4

16.6

10.0

1

1,212

47,934

46,214

2022

UNKNOWN DIVISION

Yes

3.6

86.0

40.0

1

540

47,934

1,720

2022

WESTERN

No

83.2

32.0

15.0

1

1,440

380,773

316,783

2022

WESTERN

Yes

16.8

58.0

30.0

1

600

380,773

63,990

Stop Reasons

The following explores the most common reasons for officer-initiated stops in 2022. Traffic violations and reasonable suspicion are the most common stop reasons as is common in other local law enforcement agencies.

By Police Assignment

Traffic violations are the most common stop reason for officer-initiated stops, followed by reasonable suspicion, across all police units and for gang enforcement. However, nearly 70% of all officer-initiated stops conducted under gang enforcement are for traffic violations, with only 24% being conducted for reasonable suspicion. Traffic violation stops are a more significant majority of all gang enforcement stops.

Total and Rate of Officer-Initiated Stops by Stop Reason

Year

Assignment

Reason for stop

Total

Count

Percent

2022

All units

Traffic Violation

88,099

48,926

55.5

2022

All units

Reasonable Suspicion

88,099

36,341

41.3

2022

All units

Knowledge of outstanding arrest warrant/wanted person

88,099

1,281

1.5

2022

All units

Investigation to determine whether the person was truant

88,099

734

0.8

2022

All units

Known to be on Parole / Probation / PRCS / Mandatory Supervision

88,099

553

0.6

2022

All units

Consensual Encounter resulting in a search

88,099

262

0.3

2022

All units

Determine whether the student violated school policy

88,099

2

0.0

2022

Gang enforcement

Traffic Violation

484

341

70.5

2022

Gang enforcement

Reasonable Suspicion

484

114

23.6

2022

Gang enforcement

Knowledge of outstanding arrest warrant/wanted person

484

16

3.3

2022

Gang enforcement

Known to be on Parole / Probation / PRCS / Mandatory Supervision

484

6

1.2

2022

Gang enforcement

Investigation to determine whether the person was truant

484

4

0.8

2022

Gang enforcement

Consensual Encounter resulting in a search

484

3

0.6

By SDPD Division

The majority of officer-initiated stops across SDPD divisions are for traffic violations, with the second most common officer-initiated stop being for reasonable suspicion. There is no third stop reason that has a rate comparable to traffic Violations or reasonable suspicion.

Notably, the Southeastern division disproportionately includes stops for traffic violations relative to reasonable suspicion, along with the Northwestern, Northeastern, and unknown divisions. The Central and Western divisions have the highest rates of stops for reasonable suspicion at over 50% of stops made for reasonable suspicion.

Stop Results

The following explores how officer-initiated stops concluded in 2022, or the result of the stop. This analysis does not control for instances where a stop concluded in more than one result. Controlling for unique person and stop will subsequently slightly change these trends.

By Police Assignment

Across all police units, Citation for Infraction and Warning (verbal or written) are the most common stop results, at 27.5% and 25.8% respectively. These two stop results make up approximately half of all stop results.

Results from gang enforcement stops do not mirror the trends across all police units. The most common stop result for a gang enforcement stop is Field Interview Card Completed, comprising of 40.2% of all stop results. Warning (verbal or written) has the second highest rate at 20.6%.

Total and Rate of Officer-Initiated Stops by Stop Result

Year

Assignment

Result of Stop

Total

Count

Percent

2022

All units

Citation for infraction

95,543

26,229

27.5

2022

All units

Warning (verbal or written)

95,543

24,643

25.8

2022

All units

Field interview card completed

95,543

12,377

13.0

2022

All units

Custodial Arrest without warrant

95,543

10,317

10.8

2022

All units

No Action

95,543

9,129

9.6

2022

All units

Custodial Arrest pursuant to outstanding warrant

95,543

4,172

4.4

2022

All units

Psychiatric hold

95,543

3,793

4.0

2022

All units

In-field cite and release

95,543

3,136

3.3

2022

All units

Noncriminal transport or caretaking transport

95,543

1,410

1.5

2022

All units

Contacted parent/legal guardian or other person responsible for the minor

95,543

330

0.3

2022

All units

Contacted U.S. Department of Homeland Security

95,543

3

0.0

2022

All units

Referral to school administrator

95,543

3

0.0

2022

All units

Referral to school counselor or other support staff

95,543

1

0.0

2022

Gang enforcement

Field interview card completed

500

201

40.2

2022

Gang enforcement

Warning (verbal or written)

500

103

20.6

2022

Gang enforcement

Custodial Arrest without warrant

500

62

12.4

2022

Gang enforcement

No Action

500

51

10.2

2022

Gang enforcement

Citation for infraction

500

36

7.2

2022

Gang enforcement

Custodial Arrest pursuant to outstanding warrant

500

21

4.2

2022

Gang enforcement

Psychiatric hold

500

17

3.4

2022

Gang enforcement

In-field cite and release

500

7

1.4

2022

Gang enforcement

Contacted parent/legal guardian or other person responsible for the minor

500

2

0.4

By SDPD Division

Stop result trends vary across SDPD divisions. A higher percentage of results in the Southeastern division are for No Action, or no result. Results in the Northeastern and Northern divisions are more likely to include Citation for Infraction. Results in the Central division_ are most likely to include a Field Interview Card Completed. And stops in the Northwestern, Mid-City, and Southeastern division are more likely to result in a Warning.

Hit Rates

This analysis looks at what percentage of stops that resulted in a search produced contraband, also known as the hit rate.

By Police Assignment

In approximately 70% of people searched, SDPD police found no contraband. This rate is similar across all units and gang enforcement stops.

Hit Rate of Stops Where A Search Took Place

Year

Assignment

Contraband

Search Total

Percent

2022

All units

None

19,754

73.9

2022

All units

One or more items found

19,754

26.1

2022

Gang enforcement

None

209

71.8

2022

Gang enforcement

One or more items found

209

28.2

By SDPD Division

Across divisions, other than unknown divisions, more than 70% of stops where a search took place result in no evidence or contraband found. Stops where a search took place in the Eastern division have the highest hit rates (29.6%). The Southeastern division has the second highest hit rate (27.7%), not including unknown divisions.

Age Demographics

The following looks at the age distribution of people stopped in officer-initiated stops in 2022.

By Police Assignment

Gang enforcement stops target more individuals under 18 and between the ages of 18-34 compared to all police units.Over 2.5 times the rate of people under 18 are stopped under gang enforcement compared to all units.

Total and Rate of Officer-Initiated Stops by Age Group

Year

Assignment

Age

Total

Count

Percent

2022

All units

18 and under

88,099

3,293

3.7

2022

All units

19-24

88,099

10,738

12.2

2022

All units

25-34

88,099

28,760

32.6

2022

All units

35-44

88,099

20,691

23.5

2022

All units

45-54

88,099

13,769

15.6

2022

All units

55-64

88,099

7,846

8.9

2022

All units

65 and older

88,099

3,002

3.4

2022

Gang enforcement

18 and under

484

48

9.9

2022

Gang enforcement

19-24

484

88

18.2

2022

Gang enforcement

25-34

484

174

36.0

2022

Gang enforcement

35-44

484

95

19.6

2022

Gang enforcement

45-54

484

41

8.5

2022

Gang enforcement

55-64

484

25

5.2

2022

Gang enforcement

65 and older

484

13

2.7

By SDPD Division

In the Northwestern, Southeastern, and Southern divisions, a higher percentage of people under 18 are stopped than people 65 and older. While all divisions follow a similar age distribution in people stopped, the Southeastern division has the highest percentage of people stopped in the 25-34 and 19-24 age brackets other than stops in unknown divisions.

Race/Ethnicity Demographics

The following analyzes the distribution of people stopped by race as perceived by officers. All groups are exclusive of Latinx other than Latinx, South Asian/Southwest Asian/North African (SSWANA), Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander (NHPI), and American Indian or Alaska Native (AIAN).SSWANA, NHPI, and AIAN include people who were perceived as each of these groups alone or in combination with another race or Latinx.

By Police Assignment

The gang enforcement assignment disproportionately targets Black and Latinx individuals. Stops made under this assignment also result in half the percentage of people perceived as White compared to all units.

Total and Rate of Officer-Initiated Stops by Race

Year

Assignment

Race

Total

Count

Percent

2022

All units

White NH

88,099

32,133

36.5

2022

All units

Latinx

88,099

30,236

34.3

2022

All units

Black NH

88,099

16,874

19.2

2022

All units

Asian NH

88,099

4,603

5.2

2022

All units

SSWANA

88,099

3,052

3.5

2022

All units

NHPI

88,099

871

1.0

2022

All units

Multiracial

88,099

513

0.6

2022

All units

AIAN

88,099

228

0.3

2022

Gang enforcement

Latinx

484

194

40.1

2022

Gang enforcement

Black NH

484

157

32.4

2022

Gang enforcement

White NH

484

89

18.4

2022

Gang enforcement

Asian NH

484

33

6.8

2022

Gang enforcement

SSWANA

484

7

1.4

2022

Gang enforcement

AIAN

484

3

0.6

2022

Gang enforcement

Multiracial

484

1

0.2

2022

Gang enforcement

NHPI

484

0

0.0

By SDPD Division

Stops made in the Southeastern division disproportionately include Black and Latinx individuals relative to other racial groups. Stops in the Southern division have the highest percentage of people perceived as Latinx stopped. Stops in the Southeastern division have the highest percentage of people perceived as Black stopped, and second highest percentage of people perceived as Latinx stopped.

Map of Officer-Initiated Stops

This map shows the count of officer-initiated stops in 2022 by police beat for all police units and for the gang enforcement unit. This map does not control for total population in each police beat.

There is a highest density of stops in several police beats in the Northern, Southern, and Northwestern divisions.There are relatively few stops for the gang enforcement assignment. Several police beats in the Northern and Southeastern divisions have a higher density of gang enforcement stops.

Field interview card completed

This section focuses on stops that only resulted in a field interview card being completed. The intention is to test if this stop result could be a proxy for gang suppression unit-related stops. The numbers in this section do not include people who had a field interview card completed and another result, e.g., citation.

Total Number of Officer-Initiated Stops

In 2022, 12,377 people stopped during officer-initiated stops had a field interview card completed. For the vast majority of these, this was the only stop result. 10,663 people stopped during officer-initiated stops only had a result of a field interview card. This accounts for 12.1% of all people stopped during officer-initiated stops across all police units. There were 1,407 people stopped during officer-initiated stops that received a field interview card and a warning.

Only 10% of people who had the stop result field interview card completed were stopped during calls for service.

Time Spent

In 2022, SDPD officers across all units spent 215,920 minutes (approximately 3,599 hours) on stops where the only result was a field interview card. Note that this analysis is currently using the raw stop duration times found in the SD RIPA dataset. This analysis can be repeated using stop duration times with an outlier cap implemented.

Time Spent on Stops that Resulted in Field Card Interview for All Units

Year

Assignment

Stop Result

Total Time (Mins)

Average Stop Time (Mins)

Median Stop Time (Mins)

Min Stop Time (Mins)

Max Stop Time (Mins)

2022

All units

Field interview card completed

215,920

20.2

15

1

1,357

Stop reasons

This table looks at the most common reasons why people are stopped that result in a field interview card being completed. The majority of people that are stopped resulting in a field card interview are stopped for Reasonable Suspicion, at 73%, followed by Traffic Violation.

Stop Reasons that Result in Field Interview Card

Year

Assignment

Stop Reason

Stop Result

Total

Count

Percent

2022

All units

Reasonable Suspicion

Field interview card completed

10,663

7,781

73.0

2022

All units

Traffic Violation

Field interview card completed

10,663

2,498

23.4

2022

All units

Known to be on Parole / Probation / PRCS / Mandatory Supervision

Field interview card completed

10,663

144

1.4

2022

All units

Investigation to determine whether the person was truant

Field interview card completed

10,663

133

1.2

2022

All units

Knowledge of outstanding arrest warrant/wanted person

Field interview card completed

10,663

64

0.6

2022

All units

Consensual Encounter resulting in a search

Field interview card completed

10,663

43

0.4

Police assignment

41% of people stopped by Gang Enforcement and 34% of people stopped by Other police assignment end up with a result of a field interview card completed.

Officer Assignments that make Stops Resulting in a Field Interview Card

Year

Assignment

Stop Result

Total

Count

Percent

2022

Compliance check

Field interview card completed

2

1

50.0

2022

Narcotics/vice

Field interview card completed

134

58

43.3

2022

Gang enforcement

Field interview card completed

484

199

41.1

2022

Other

Field interview card completed

1,587

546

34.4

2022

Special events

Field interview card completed

49

11

22.4

2022

Investigative/detective

Field interview card completed

337

41

12.2

2022

Patrol, traffic enforcement, field operations

Field interview card completed

85,452

9,806

11.5

2022

Task force

Field interview card completed

11

1

9.1

Age

Nearly 1/4th of people who are stopped with only a field interview card being completed as the result are age 25-34 or 35-44.

Age of People Stopped and Receiving a Field Interview Card

Year

Age

Stop Result

Total

Count

Percent

2022

18 and under

Field interview card completed

10,663

475

4.5

2022

19-24

Field interview card completed

10,663

955

9.0

2022

25-34

Field interview card completed

10,663

2,990

28.0

2022

35-44

Field interview card completed

10,663

2,801

26.3

2022

45-54

Field interview card completed

10,663

1,978

18.6

2022

55-64

Field interview card completed

10,663

1,153

10.8

2022

65 and older

Field interview card completed

10,663

311

2.9

Race

Out of all people that are stopped with only a field interview card as the result, over 1/3 are Latinx people, and over 1/4 are Black people.

Perceived Race of People Stopped and Receiving a Field Interview Card

Year

Assignment

Race

Stop Result

Total

Count

Percent

2022

All units

White NH

Field interview card completed

10,663.0

3,807.0

35.7

2022

All units

Latinx

Field interview card completed

10,663.0

3,489.0

32.7

2022

All units

Black NH

Field interview card completed

10,663.0

2,811.0

26.4

2022

All units

Asian NH

Field interview card completed

10,663.0

287.0

2.7

2022

All units

SSWANA

Field interview card completed

10,663.0

122.0

1.1

2022

All units

NHPI

Field interview card completed

10,663.0

79.0

0.7

2022

All units

Multiracial

Field interview card completed

10,663.0

54.0

0.5

2022

All units

AIAN

Field interview card completed

10,663.0

38.0

0.4

Map by police beat

This map visualizes the percentage of people stopped in an officer-initiated stop that resulted in a field interview card across SDPD police beats and divisions. People stopped in the Southern region of San Diego have a higher rate of being stopped with a resulting field interview card being completed.